


Save a Horse

by KingSmoft



Series: Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy [1]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M, Rare Pair, Rare Pairings, Some Explicit Language, Some suggestive/sexual content, horse ranch, jamie is not to be blamed, prosthetics are thrown
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-15
Updated: 2017-12-15
Packaged: 2019-02-15 02:22:31
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,995
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13021236
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KingSmoft/pseuds/KingSmoft
Summary: He loved that horse, and there was no way he’d let that shoddy vet get ahold of him. Broken or not.





	Save a Horse

**Author's Note:**

> For a reference, bc I messed with the ages a bit:  
> Jesse - 25  
> Jamie - 21  
> Hanzo - 26  
> Mako - 30

“Yeah, okay, thanks. See you tomorrow, Doc.” Jesse hit the End Call button on his phone and sighed. The appointment for Icarus was set for Friday. That gave him two days, today and tomorrow, to tell Jamie that his favorite horse would be put down… Jesse wasn’t sure how he’d take it, probably not well. He wasn’t even sure how he was going to break it to him. Maybe Hanzo would have some ideas.

 

“Just tell him.” Jesse’s best friend was as gruff as ever. Twenty-six and acted like he was the grumpy old man at the end of the neighborhood.

Jesse rolled his eyes. “I mean, obviously, Han.”

There was a slight pause before Hanzo asked, “Which one was Icarus, again?”

“The dark Orlov Trotter.”

“That doesn’t help me, Jesse. I haven’t even begun working there, yet.”

Jesse laughed. “Oh yeah... It’s the dark grey one with all the lighter spots that I sent pictures of the other day.”

“Right.” Another pause. “Be gentle. Don’t beat around the bush. Probably not in public.”

“…Thanks, Han.” Jesse said. Hanzo ‘mmm’ed at Jesse, and they said their goodbyes. Hanzo only told him what he pretty much already knew. All he was doing was procrastinating the inevitable.

A barely audible ringing sound caught Jamie’s attention. He had left his phone inside while out in his garage/workshop. It wasn’t like he ever expected many calls. Lucio usually just showed up unannounced like the hyper-active extrovert he is, Mako only ever texted, and Jesse—Jesse usually only called when it was work related. 

As he frantically tried to grab for the phone before it cut off, it slipped from his prosthetic and tumbled to the floor. By the time he had scooped it back up, the ringtone had stopped. The voicemail tone beeped, and Jamie pulled it up.

“Hey, Jamie. I need to talk to you about something important. Meet me at my place whenever you can.” Jesse’s voice cut off abruptly. He had sounded a tad nervous, rushed. Jamie’s heart leapt into his throat. Had Jesse—? No, it couldn’t be. The cowboy… He would never feel the same way about him as he felt about Jesse. It didn’t matter how many times he looked up to see Jesse already looking at him, the light touches when they would meet. That stupid little goatee that was beginning to connect with the scruff on his cheeks. Jamie had convinced himself it was all platonic. This call must be about something related to the horses. 

Jamie put his projects aside and jumped onto his motorcycle. He hadn’t even stopped long enough to change from his little shorts and baggy t-shirt, just added his helmet to the mix. It was ten minutes to the ranch, and Jamie sped the entire way. 

When he arrived at Jesse’s, he parked next to his old truck and went right in without knocking. _This must be how Lu feels. It’s pretty great._

Jamie found Jesse pacing in the kitchen. Any other time he would’ve sat at the bar, but Jesse was making him too anxious.

Once he walked in, Jesse stopped dead in his tracks, hand frozen at his mouth. Was that his old shirt he had leant to Jamie when his literally got torn off his back? A light blush spread spread across his cheeks like a pink sunrise on a wheat field. Jamie was also wearing shorts and boots, a combo Jesse had gotten used to seeing him in, even if these were shorter than those he worked in. He cleared his throat, hoping his coworker and friend hadn’t seen straight through his gay ass.

“What’d you need to talk about?” Jamie put on his fake Southern accent, perfected as a way to attain this job in the first place, and steeled himself.

Jesse swallowed. It was now or never. “It’s, uh, it’s about Icarus.”

“What about him?”

“I-I know he’s your favorite—one of mine, too—so I thought you should know…”

Jamie took a step closer, his eyes narrowing. “Should know what? What happened to him?”

Jesse squeezed his eyes shut. “He’s hurt his leg. Bad. He can’t work. Doc says… he’ll have to be put down. That he can’t live with the injury.”

The silence in the kitchen, in the house, in the country, was deafening. Not a single thing made any noise. Jesse had opened his eyes but was too afraid to look up. He hated that this was the outcome and to Jamie’s favorite horse at that.

“Jam—” Jesse began as he looked up. The rest of his name fell like boulders from his tongue. Jamie had frozen into a picture of horror, betrayal, and despair. Jesse could feel his own heart shattering, knowing he was half to blame.

“What do you mean: put down.” Jamie’s voice was low.

“What?”

It rose to a shout. He knew his accent was melting into his original Aussie one, but he didn’t care. “What d’ya mean: PUT. DOWN.”

Jesse took a step back, his hands raising defensively. “They’ll put him to sleep, won’t feel a thing.”

“Why the fuck would you let them do that?!” Anger. Hatred. Confusion.

“It-It’s the only way.”

Jamie scoffed. “The only way? The _only way_?!”

“Jamie—” Jesse was cut off by a click and hiss then a prosthetic arm being shoved into his face.

“When I lost me arm and leg in that accident years ago, and you were there, d’you think it would’a been the _only way_ for me, too? ‘Cause I couldn’t ‘work’ properly without all me limbs, d’you think I should’ve been taken out back and put a bullet between m’eyes?!”

“What? No! Of course not, darlin’. This is di—”

“So help me, Loki, if you say ‘This is different’ I will shove my leg so far up your ass.”

Jesse could feel his own anger bubbling, feeding off Jamie’s, and rearing its own ugly head.

“Y’know, I called you here to try and break it to you _‘gently’_ as Hanzo put it, but all you’ve done is yell at me, and now you’re, what, Australian? What d’ya expect me to do with a horse that cain’t work?”

“Can’t work? Why does something have to work for you for it to be important?” Jamie couldn’t hold back any of his feelings anymore. Emotions were high, and he had lost control of his filter. “Is that all I am to you, too? A useless grunt unless doing work? Would you even care if I never came back? Is that the thanks we get for loving you?! Fuck you, Jesse McCree.”

Jamie threw his prosthetic arm at Jesse and stormed out of the front door. The slam of the door rocked Jesse into motion. Still gripping the prosthetic, Jesse ran after the man who had practically said he loved him. Dust flew up as Jamie sped off, expertly controlling his bike one-handed. The lone cowboy fell to his knees, wondering just how much he had fucked it up this time.

 

“I’m a fucking idiot, Mako.” Jamie crashed onto his older friend’s couch, wrapping up in a large, heavy blanket hung across the back. Mako was in his early thirties and lucky enough to have a stable job, the ability to pay his bills, and go out every now and then (mostly to treat Jamie). The large man sat on the chair next to the couch. He placed a spare prosthetic on the wooden coffee table. Jamie was always getting himself into these kinds of situations. He and Lucio both had acquired spare prosthetics to keep at their house, even before Jamie’s transition. They were much cheaper, but sufficed for whenever their heathen did something with his main ones, such as chunking it at Jesse and leaving it there.

“Where is it?” Mako took Jamie’s arm snapped it into place.

“Threw it at the cowboy.” Jamie huffed, flexing his bionic fingers.

“Talk to me.” Mako’s sentences were almost always short, but Jamie could feel the sincerity behind his words. So he told one of his best friends about the horse, Icarus, and Jesse. How he felt he should’ve been named Icarus instead, and flying too close to Jesse was bound to burn him up alive.

“I just couldn’t believe he’d let ‘em put the horse down ‘cause of a gimp leg, mate.” Jamie held up his own prosthetic leg, wiggling it. “Like, really?!”

Mako had rested his head in his palm while listening to his younger friend. He secretly loved that he always came to him for advice, even if he acted annoyed sometimes. Mako took a deep breath and looked over to Jamie. Before he could say anything, Jamie spoke for him.

“You’re right! I have ta save the horse! Make it a right proper prosthetic just like mine! That’ll show Jess and those cunts at the vet’s.”

“Jamie…” Mako scolded.

“Yeah, yeah, nice words.”

Jamie’s eyes were alight with purpose. If Mako had wanted to interject anything, Jamie hadn’t given him the chance. He jumped up off the couch, scooped Mako’s laptop from off the side table, grabbed a pen and some paper, and settled back in on the couch.

“I’ll find a way around this, just you wait and see…” Jamie grumbled to himself as he researched horse injuries and prosthetics for animals.

 

“I’m a god dammed idiot, Han.” Jesse said into his pillow. Hanzo shook his head. One day. One day later and he would have been able to be there instead of in Japan. Maybe it should’ve been him to break the news to Jamie, not Jesse.

“I’d ask what did you do, but I have a pretty good idea.”

“Han, you’re not helping. Like usual.” Jesse continued to pout. He needed to fix this, but he didn’t know how. Jesse quickly relayed the story to Hanzo.

“Maybe apologize? Get him a cake? Genji would suggest to suck his dick, I’d probably agree.”

Jesse choked on the last bit. “The fuck?! I ain’t doin’ that!”

“It’s the best I’ve got.”

Suddenly, his eye caught on a framed picture sitting on his bedside table. It was a frozen moment of pure relaxation. Jamie laid sprawled out on a hammock, a lanky leg and arm hanging off one side, the other arm bent over his face. He was supposed to be working, probably cleaning stalls, but he had decided on a nap instead. Jesse couldn’t help himself. He had to take a picture of the sleeping man. He figured Jamie would’ve thought it extremely creepy, especially since he printed and framed it, so he never mentioned it. He had actually sprayed water on him from the hose to wake him up, which had been a terrible mistake. Turns out the only thing better than a sleeping Jamie was a soaking wet Jamie. The soaking wet Jamie then proceeding to grab the hose and spray him back, resulting in a water fight.

“Never mind, I think I got an idea. Thanks, Han!” Jesse hung up without waiting on a goodbye. If the horse couldn’t stand on its own, then it needed support. What better way to create support than with a harness of some sort? When Jesse broke his arm as a kid, they put his cast in a sling as well… Jesse sprang up. He’d built many things before, all he needed was the right materials and maybe an extra hand. Hanzo would be back tomorrow. Jesse would have the plans for a suspension by then. 

• • •

When Jesse picked Hanzo up at the airport later the next day, he was dressed in his typical “airplane fashion” of less than tight sweats that Jesse refused to label as sweats because sweatpants were meant to be “loose, not eating your ass” to which Hanzo always replied “Then eat mine.” He also sported a loose fitting crop top that had “Pound Cake” written across the front in large letters that Genji had bought for him. He sauntered over, sipping from the drink in his hands, peering through his pink sunglasses (also a gift from Genji who seemed to be spending way too much time in the Harajuku district).

Jesse wrapped his arms around Hanzo in a bear hug before he could complain. Hanzo patted him on the back. He couldn’t help but smile at the dirty cowboy, even if he might’ve gotten sweat and grease on him. Apparently he hadn’t taken any time to shower before coming to get him from the airport. Hanzo would just make him wash his clothing later. There was no way he was getting grease into his washing machine.

“How’d you expect to work in that outfit? It’s all skin and no denim.” Jesse joked as they left the airport and climbed into his truck. Truth was, he was almost finished, anyway, so it didn’t really matter how Hanzo was dressed. Turned out that he didn’t quite need too much of his help after all. He just had a few last touches to complete once they returned to the ranch. 

“You know the things I can do in a crop top and these pants. Especially without the crop top.”

“…True…” Jesse grumbled. The one time he teased Han into a wrestling match, Han had kicked his ass to Santa Fe and back. A light blush crossed his cheeks out of embarrassment to his pride. He considered himself strong, but Hanzo had just been too fast on top of his own built muscles. “I like to think that day never happened.”

Hanzo chuckled. “Whatever brings the horses home at night, cowboy.”

Jesse grunted back at him. With one hand, he turned into the driveway and drove his truck up to the barn. He practically pulled Hanzo to the barn to show off his contraption.

Hanzo gaped at it. He clapped slowly in awe. How Jesse had managed to do this all on his own in such a short time blew him away. He expected to return to see Jesse in a puddle of his own tears and frustration. 

Jesse returned to his work. With a few extra tweaks and adjustments, the harness was complete. All he needed to do was get it up under the horse.

“This is where I may need your help, partner.”

Jesse had called in a favor to the vet already and set up an appointment to amputate the horse’s leg. He was able to convince him to move the appointment to this morning. The horse could still stand, but he would need help and a little persuasion. If they could get him up long enough to place the harness under and around him, they’d be good. 

However, Icarus was just as stubborn as his adoptive father who refused to answer any of his texts or calls or voicemails no matter how many times he sent them in a row or hours apart… But Jesse hoped they could do it.

After a near hour of coaxing Icarus into a kneeling position, and the sun already dipping below the horizon, they were finally able to wiggle the woven device beneath him. With the heavy duty pulleys ready to go, Icarus was hoisted gently to his feet where he could stand and eat properly.

Jesse cheered, throwing his hat up. Hanzo joined him, tossing his sunglass into the air and catching them again. He couldn’t believe Jesse had pulled this off. He must have started just after he hung up on him, not even stopping to sleep. He doubted he would even sleep tonight, pushing through to make sure the pulleys or harness didn’t snap or collapse, causing further harm to Icarus. Hanzo decided to stay up with him. Maybe he could explain why the fuck he hadn’t asked Jamie out, yet, after he got a few drinks in him first.

 

“Alright. I’m gonna march straight up in there, look that stupid cowboy right in his stupidly handsome face, and tell him just how stupid he’s been actin’.” Jamie said, hoisting the crudely put together prosthetic for the horse into the back of Mako’s truck. Although it was unfinished, Jamie figured that if he could show Jesse that it was possible, maybe he’d hold off on putting Icarus down. 

He just needed to _show_ him that it was possible. He had to. This had to work. He needed it to.

The trip out to Jesse’s ranch was nerve-wracking. Try as he might, Jamie couldn’t push the spiders crawling up his spine down and away. He jabbered the entire way, with Mako nodding and grunting along. Mako knew he talked when he was nervous, so he let him, only interjecting when he felt he needed to. Or Jamie stared him down so hard he felt it without looking. 

Once they pulled up, Jamie went eerily silent. Mako looked over to see him clenching his fingers together, the knuckles on his one hand going white.

“Jamie.” Mako said. He repeated his name to get the younger man’s attention. It was like he was 15 again, fretting about his first date. “It’ll be okay. He’ll understand. And if he doesn’t: we steal the horse.”

Jamie couldn’t help but laugh. He wiped a tear stinging at the corner of his eye. “Thanks, mate. Could always count on ya.”

Mako dropped a heavy hand on his shoulder. They stayed like that until Jamie regained his composure. Jamie took a deep breath, and with a newfound courage (and slight anger), he got out of the truck, slammed the door, and marched down to the barn, prosthetic in arms. Eyebrows furrowed, he kicked open the large front door. A startled whinny sounded from Icarus. Early morning sunlight filtered in through the open doorway, playing over a wide-eyed Icarus in his contraption. 

Jamie froze. His mouth began to drop. Mako came in behind him, his eyes squinting until they adjusted. The pair was stunned into silence. Jamie felt tears welling up again as Icarus huffed at him, recognizing his favorite human. Mako took the incomplete prosthetic from his arms as Jamie stepped forward. He reached out, fingers trembling, until they glided over the smooth skin of beautiful horse. Icarus bumped him with his nose, making Jamie laugh as the tears fell like the ocean finally knocking over the sandcastle. He hugged the horse’s snout, ecstasy coursing through his veins.

“Jamie?”

Jamie pulled back from Icarus at the sound of the hesitant voice. Jesse walked out from a stall a little ways down holding a bucket full of feed. Hanzo appeared behind him. They were both still in the same clothing from the day before, not that Jamie or Mako knew that. What Jamie _could_ see, were the dark rims under his eyes and the slight sway to his steps. The bucket fell from Jesse’s hands and he clambered to Jamie. He pulled him into a tight hug, nearly knocking them over from his drunken stumble. Ah, so that’s what it was. Jamie could smell the alcohol clinging to his clothing that looked remarkably disheveled in the sunlight.

While they embraced, Mako noticed Hanzo who had joined them after picking up the now half-empty bucket of feed. He watched as the new ranch hand sat the bucket down between himself and Hanzo. Now, Mako—Mako wasn’t usually the type to be at a loss for words. Quiet, sure, but stunned into silence? Hardly ever. However, in the presence of Hanzo, the great wearer of crop tops, Mako was in awe. He had never seen such a beautiful human being. When Hanzo turned to glance at him, Mako realized he had been staring. Without missing a beat, Hanzo asked, “Are you Jamie’s friend that he stays with every now and then?”

“I am… How’d you know?”

Hanzo chuckled, making Mako’s cheeks heat up like the afternoon sun. “The cowboy talks a lot. Mostly to complain about some stupid mistake he made, or Jamie, or both.”

Mako snorted a laugh as well. “Sounds like Jamie, too. When he crash’s on my couch or calls me for a ride, it’s the same.”

Hanzo took the form of Mako in: wide shoulders, graying ponytail, hands that looked like they could engulf him. He wouldn’t even mind getting a chance to sit on that—

“What d’ya mean you wanna go out for dinner?!” Jamie’s surprised shout broke Hanzo from his heated thoughts.

“I mean: I wanna take everyone out to dinner and celebrate. This is a huge thing. Icarus should be fine by himself for a few hours if that’s what you’re worried about.” Jesse patted the horse’s nose for good measure, receiving a soft huff in return.

“Uh, y-yeah. That’s it…”

“Jesus, I wish they’d just makeout already and spare the rest of us this awkward conversation.” Hanzo smirked, his arms crossed. He hadn’t even bothered to whisper. He knew perfectly well that the pining men could hear him. It was his intention after all.

Mako let out a deep laugh. Hanzo couldn’t help but start to grin with him. The two laughed again as the pining lovebirds looked up at them, both of their cheeks visibly red. Jamie fumbled around his words as Jesse cleared his throat, pulling his hat down like a stereotypical old west cowboy.

Hanzo shook his head, smile still on his face, and said, “You go have a steak or something. I have terrible jet lag.”

“I’m the one runnin’ on no sleep. You have no excuse—”

“No. Go have fun.” Hanzo refused to let Jesse not take no for an answer. It was true. He needed many things: a shower (firstly), to unpack his things, make a nice cup of warm soju, and binge Netflix. Plus Jesse and Jamie needed some time alone, and as Jesse’s best friend, it was his duty to feign other plans and force them together. He gave Mako a pointed look, hoping he’d do the same.

“I should be heading home, too.” Mako picked up on Hanzo’s intentions, following suit. Maybe he could spend some more time with Hanzo, get to know him.

“Oi, mate! You, too?!” Jamie said.

Mako rolled his eyes and pushed Jamie and Jesse outside. “Don’t be stupid and go hang out with each other. Flirt some, maybe makeout.”

Jamie and Jesse sputtered at the same time. Jamie yelled, “W-w-well why don’t you go makeout with Hanzo instead of lasering holes into each other’s groins, ya cuntcake?!”

Mako froze, but Hanzo shrugged. “I’m into it.”

“Idiot…” Mako grumbled in Jamie’s ear. Jamie giggled as he shoved them toward Jesse’s truck.

Jamie watched from the dirty window of Jesse’s truck as Mako turned to his vehicle. Hanzo jogged after him, asked him something Jamie couldn’t hear, and got in the car after a nod from Mako. Jamie’s eyebrows rose in curiosity.

“Wonder how their night might go.” Jamie jabbed a thumb backwards, toward Mako’s car. Jesse glanced back and shrugged.

“Ain’t got a clue. Maybe he’ll take his own advice…”

Own advice? Jamie furrowed his eyebrows. “What advice?”

Jesse avoided eye contact as he said, “Oh, nothin’. Just somethin’ he told me last night.”

“Liiiike…?”

“Not important,” Jesse said with nervous laughter. There was no way in fiery hell would he tell Jamie that Hanzo told him to suck his dick to solve their issues. No fucking way. “Where you wanna go eat at? I’m still buyin’, drinks included if ya want. It’s five o’clock somewhere.”

“That good ole southern hospitality! Let’s go to Texas Roadhouse. I wanna see how your people cook. Never actually been.”

“You do realize I’m from New Mexico, not Texas?”

Jamie gasped faux surprise. “I’ve been lied to! Here I thought you’re a true Texan Cowboy! I want my money back.”

“I can’t show you Texas… but I can still show you how to properly tie a calf.” Jesse looked over to Jamie, biting his lip. A smirk played on his tanned face.

Jamie’s breath hitched. _This was gonna be a fuckin’ great night._

**Author's Note:**

> I was getting nowhere fast with my other longer fic, so I decided to try my hand at a oneshot/short story style fic.
> 
> A Part 2 centered on Hogzo after the fact might also be in the works~


End file.
